Psalms 12

1 Unto the end. For the octave. A Psalm of David. Save me, O Lord, because holiness has passed away, because truths have been diminished, before the sons of men.

[For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.] Help, LORD; for the faithful ceases. For the loyal have vanished from among the descendants of Adam.

2 They have been speaking emptiness, each one to his neighbor; they have been speaking with deceitful lips and a duplicitous heart.

Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.

3 May the Lord scatter all deceitful lips, along with the tongue that speaks malice.

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts,

4 They have said: “We will magnify our tongue; our lips belong to us. What is Lord to us?”

who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?"

5 Because of the misery of the destitute and the groaning of the poor, now I will arise, says the Lord. I will place him in safety. I will act faithfully toward him.

"Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD; "I will place in safety the one who longs for it."

6 The eloquence of the Lord is pure eloquence, silver tested by fire, purged from the earth, refined seven times.

The words of the LORD are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.

7 You, O Lord, will preserve us, and you will guard us from this generation into eternity.

You, LORD, will protect us. You will guard us from this generation forever.

8 The impious wander aimlessly. According to your loftiness, you have multiplied the sons of men.

The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the descendants of Adam.